China promoting demographic aggression in Tibet, says Dalai Lama

Countering Beijing vociferous protests against him getting the Congressional Medal of Honour, the Dalai Lama told religious and peace groups at event at the India Habitat Centre here that “Every Tibetan mind lives with fear and a feeling of terror.”

“The population of (Tibetan capital) Lhasa used to be 50,000 to 60,000. Now it is 300,000, of which 200,000 are Chinese,” he said, adding that the Tibetans were being denied an opportunity to learn their language and monasteries were being politicised under what he called a “cultural genocide.”

The 72-year-old leader said a railway launched last year, linking Tibet to the rest of China, was being used for “exploitation of natural resources.”

“I want to make clear: the Dalai Lama may die, (but) the Tibetan community will remain,” he said to applause.

The Dalai Lama said he wanted his authority to be handed over to the Tibetan government-in-exile, based in Dharamsala.

The Dalai Lama said that last month’s US honour and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 were a recognition of his efforts to promote religious harmony and his struggle for the Tibetan cause.

He showered lavish praise on India for giving him “another pleasant home.”

Apparently keen on not offending Chinese sentiments, the Indian Government on Saturday asked ministers to keep away from a function here to felicitate the Tibetan spiritual leader.

The advisory was issued by the Cabinet Secretariat but it gave no reasons for it, official sources said.

The Dalai Lama had recently visited the United States where he received the highest civilian award bestowed by the US Congress, much to the chagrin of China, which unleashed a fresh tirade at the US over his warm reception in Washington.

Saturday’s felicitation function was organised by the Gandhi Peace Foundation and the All India Parliamentary Forum for Tibet. (ANI)